Merry-go-round.



JOHN SETECKA & JAMES SETEOKA.

Patented Dec. 14,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

JOHN SETEGKA 8; JAMES SETEGKA.

MERBY-GO-ROUND. APPLICATION FILED MAY15,'1909.

943,276. Patented Dec. 14,1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STAT JOHN SETECKA AND JAMES SETECKA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MERRY-GO-ROUND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Application filed May 15, 1909. Serial No. 496,242.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN SnTnoKA and JAMES Snrnonx, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Merry-Go- Rounds or the Like, of which the following is a description.

Our invention belongs to that class of devices known as merry-go-rounds or the like, and has for its objects the production of a simple, safe, durable, satisfactory and inexpensive device of the kind described. It is particularly adapted for the use of children affording them entertainment as well as healthy exercise without danger of any injury to them during the operation of the device. In the preferred construction the operating mechanism is not vibrated by the movement of the machine due to its own acquired momentum but on the contrary is at all times under the direct control of the operator.

To this end our invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of the device, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the seats, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 5, Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken substantially on line t4 of Fig. 5, Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View of the de vice the parts being turned so as to show them in the same vertical plane, Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings in which our preferred form of device is shown, 1 is a post provided with a suitable base arranged to maintain the post in an upright or vertical position. The post may be made solid as shown or in the form of a tube or the like. The base may be of any suitable design and material, as shown it comprises the arms 2 and suitable braces 3 and at, there being provided suitable members 5 and 7 to which the several braces and arms are secured forming the base. The upright or post 1 extends through the members 5 and 7 and may be secured in position and prevented from turning by means of a key 6 or its equivalent for the purpose. The members 5 'and 7 may be made of any suitable material, preferably of metal, bent form or cast into the desired shapes.

On the post 1 is arranged what may be termed the seat frame which preferably comprises a plurality of arms 8 carrying seats 13 and provided with suitable braces 9, the seat frame being free to rotate. As shown the frame is provided with a suitable cast or formed members 10 and 11 of metal or the equivalent which are arranged to secure the arms and braces together as well as to pivotally secure them on the post 1, the parts 10 and 11 being secured together by bolts or rods 12 or their equivalent for the purpose if desired. The part 11 rests or bears upon the part 7 of the stand or base and supports the seat frame. There may be any number of seats, four being shown, and they may be of any suitable design and material. Foot rests 14: carried from the seats by suitable straps 15 or their equivalent are preferably provided, as are also braces 16. The frame is also strengthened and braced by means of the guard rods or rails 17 extending from one foot rest to the adjacent seat which rods prevent one stepping between the seats while the seat frame is rotating about the post 1. It is of course obvious that the seat frame may be modified as desired and provided with additional bracing if necessary and that the frame may be entirely floored over should it be preferred.

Preferably above the seat frame is arranged one or more what may be termed operating arms 18 one arm for each seat be ing shown in the drawings, the arms being secured together and arranged to rotate about the post 1 in the forward direction of rotation of the seat frame, suitable means being provided to prevent a reverse rotation of the arms.

In the drawings the arms are secured to a member 19 by means of screws or bolts 21 or their equivalent the member 19 being supported by means of a collar 23 or the equivalent and retained on the post by means of a suitable cap 24. Any suitable arrangement may be provided to prevent a reverse rotation of the arms, our preferred construction for the purpose comprises a ratchet 25 carried by one part, as shown by the post 1, and one or more pawl members 28 carried by the opposite part, as shown by the arms 18. The ratchet 25 may be secured to the post 1 by means of a set screw 26 or its equivalent and if desired may be arranged as shown to prevent the seat frame from rising above the desired position. The pawls 28 may be of any suitable form the preferred construction comprising movable members 28 slidably positioned in the extensions 27 on the part 19 and the pawls when made round as shown may be provided with a set screw 29 cooperating with the slot or groove 30 in the pawl member to prevent the pawl member from turning or dropping out of position. If desired a spring or resilient member 21 or its equivalent may be provided for each pawl to normally force the same into engagement with the ratchet. Ball bearin s are shown between the members '7 and 11 but it is of course obvious that roller bearings or the equivalent may be substituted for the same if desired or that the ball bearings or their equivalent omitted or provided at any other of the bearing points.

\Vhen the operator in one of the seats grasps the handle in front of the seat and endeavors to draw it to him the pawl engaging the fixed part prevents rotation of the handle or arm 18 so that the seat is drawn toward the handle thereby rotating the seat frame. Continuing the operation, that is, first pulling on the handle and pushing it away, then pulling again, as if rowing a boat, rotates the seat frame about the part 1. One or any number of the seats may be occupied and one or more with passengers can operate the arms 18. It should be particularly noted that in this construction the operating arms are always free to rotate in a direction with the seat frame and there being no connection between the frame and the operating mechanism except through the arms of the operators there can be no chance of injury when the handles are released and the seat frame rotating from its own momentum. If all the handles are released or not operated, they will be pushed around with the frame and may be readily gripped or regained at any time. This is of great importance when it is to be considered that the passengers in the majority of cases are children which may be accidentally injured by a vibrating or rocking handle that is driven, when no power is applied, by the rotation of the frame rotating from its own momentum. The operator can at any time regain the handle without danger. It might be also mentioned that the foot rest being rigid or stationary relative to the seat also affords more safety for the passengers. It is obvious that while the handles are shown secured together and arranged to be simultaneously operated they might be arranged to operate separately, and in that case if desired a bracket or stop (not shown) might be arranged to prevent the arm from passing out of the space between the two seats.

Having thus. described our invention it is obvious that various immaterial modifications or changes may be made in the construction, arrangement or combination of parts herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of our invention, hence we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact arrangement, construction, and combination of parts herein shown and described.

lVhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described, comprising a base, a vertical post supported by said base, a seat frame pivotally mounted on said post and rotatable therearound, a plurality of seats carried by said seat frame, each of said seats comprising a horizontal seat portion, and a foot rest portion located in a lower plane than the seat portion, a plurality of guard rails extending vertically from the outer corner of each foot rest portion and extending horizontally around the structure to the underside of the next succeeding seat portion, and means controllable from said seats for imparting rotation to said seat frame.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN SETEGKA. JAMES SETEGKA. lVitnesses ROY \V. HILL, CHARLES I. Gone. 

